It's no secret, Berlin is the creative capital of Germany. While Hannover may have just been voted the greenest city in the country with 20% being parks, forests and gardens (we have the largest natural city forest in all of Europe behind my house), Berlin definitely has earned its reputation as an international city where creatives work and play. It's an inspiring place - gritty and pretty in some parts - eclectic, quirky, etc.  The cost of living is still relatively low compared to other cities in Europe, especially for the types of living spaces that you can rent in comparison to say, Hamburg, London or Copenhagen. It's nice to be able to actually afford to live nicely while still pursuing creative interests and even starting your own business. Right!?

So many love Berlin for many reasons, but for me, I feel inspired when I'm there surrounding by its 180 museums, stores, quirky districts, flea markets, Turkish market, exhibitions, random art galleries sometimes hidden behind buildings, music fests, cheap eats... That is why in mid October I will co-host yet another creatives & bloggers meet up there in collaboration with some incredible people and sponsors so we can make it happen - inspire each other, share, learn and create a positive energy that will motivate all to leave with a good feeling of community and support. We need that. I'll post more about the event as plans are confirmed.

Loved this video of Berlin-based fashion designer Esther Perbandt, her clothing is amazing and I like how she collaborates with others who inspire her to create her collections. See her workspace here.

Great room divider idea!

Fun, quirky table

If you are curious about Berlin and the types of people living there then you have to check out "online interview magazine" (or blog), Freunde von Freunde. I've talked about them before, but they have lots of new content and they are even taking their concept to London and Paris to spotlight creatives living in those cities as well. I was selfishly hoping we could keep FvF for ourselves in Germany, but that's okay, their goal is to open eyes and share what's happening all over Europe and so by creating new city spotlights on their site, they are able to reach more people. Good for them.

I must admit though, major cities get plenty of press when it comes to who is living in them and how they live and work -- there is no shortage on the web of inspiring homes in Paris and London. Same goes for print publications as well. But most of the world isn't really in the know when it comes to what Berlin is like, or even Germany and the creative indie scene here for that matter as in who lives there, the cost of living, what people do for fun, what people are creating and where. Before I started visiting in 1999, I had no idea what was going on in this part of the world when it came to design and art. With so many in this country working hard to make a name for themselves (and for their country), there has been a lot of change in the last decade so definitely visit FvF to tap into what is going on in Berlin -- a fascinating, creative German city.

My hope though is that instead of focusing on London and Paris because those places get plenty of attention, that FvF will share the way people live and work all across Germany and German speaking countries -- not just Berlin but in Hannover, Hamburg, Munich and over to Vienna, Zurich, etc. And of course, cities that don't get so much "love" outside of Germany like random towns in Belgium or even parts of Poland. I mean hello, who wouldn't love to see how creatives live and work in Warsaw with English text so the rest of us can learn? Sign me up. I'd love that. There are plenty of us with interesting lives who live in un-hip cities that may even be called boring cities -- but we are still doing creative work so I'd love to see more diversity online and in print when it comes to showing how and where people live. But Berlin is a great start, and while it's a massive city, it's still underexposed to the rest of the world so I'm all for FvF and their mission in opening eyes to what's happening there. Great stuff.

(images: FvF)